Mandrel for label coding machines



Jan. 1l, 1955 H, E; RUE ET AL 2,699,338

MANDREL FOR LABEL CODING MACHINES Original Filed June 27, 1949 Z7 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIZIIIIII 7 2 @E 8 f2 2 5 f e nnnnnn HIIII-lllm lull-nlm INVENTORS HAROLD E. RUE LOUIS TIGERMAN ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 2,699,338 MANDREL FOR LABEL CODING MACHINES Harold E. Rue, Wauwatosa, and Louis Tigerman, Milwaukee, Wis., assignors to Pabst Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation Original application June 27, 1949, Serial No. 101,632, now Patent No. 2,589,512, dated March 18, 1952. Dividedland this application October 31, 1951, Serial No. 254,0 2

2 Claims. (Cl. 279-2) This invention appertains broadly to a machine for the code marking of labels by notching or slitting the edges thereof, with the slits or notches disposed in a predetermined position and distance relative to one another, and this application is a division of our pending application filed June 27, 1949, Serial No. 101,632, now matured into Patent Number 2,589,512 dated March 18, 1952.

In the machine referred to in the above-entitled application, the same included a carriage for receiving and clampor knives, the carriage being so-constructed as to permit the sets of saws or knives to act simultaneously on opposite edges of the stack of labels.

The present invention has for its primary object the provision of means whereby the saws or knives used to cut or mark the edges of the labels can be quickly changed and setto any desired code combination or reading.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel mandrel or shaft for each set of knives or saws, whereby the distance between the saws or knives of each set can be quickly changed and whereby the saws or knives can be lirmly held in their selected set position on the mandrel or shaft for rotation therewith.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawing:

igure 1 is a transverse sectional view through the machine for coding labels, the view illustrating the novel arrangement and construction of the mandrels or shafts for adiustably receiving and holding the sets of marking knives or saws.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view through one set of coding knives or saws and its mandrel, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arviews, the letter M generally indicates the machine for coding a stack of labels L and embodying the upper and lower sets of circular saws or knives 5 and 6 for cutting notches in the upper and lower edges of the stack of labels L, which forms the subject matter of the present invention.

The machine M has been fully described and illustrated in our mentioned, pending application, and consequently only su'icient parts of the machine have been shown in the present drawing to illustrate the supports for the upper and lower sets of saws or knives 5 and 6. However, as illustrated, the machine M includes a base frame 7 on which is sldably mounted for reciprocatory movement past the sets of knives or saws 5 and 6, the carriage 8. The carriage receives and supports the stack of labels L. Mounted above the carriage 7, is an overhead frame 9, which carries the upper set of knives or saws 5. The base or frame 7 supports and carries the lower set of knives or saws 6. Each set of the circular knives or saws 5 and 6 is carried by a hollow mandrel or shaft 10, and as each set of circular saws and each mandrel, and the means employed for releasably holding the knives or saws of the sets in a selected, adjusted position are identical, only one set of circular saws or knives, scribed.

As intimated, novel means is provided for holding the knives or saws of each set in proper selected positions relative to one another. Obviously, this allows dilerent numbers of knives or saws to be utilized as needed, and in the present instance there are shown tive knives or saws in each set. The peripheries of the circular knives or saws may, or may not, be provided with teeth. The means for detachably holding the knives or saws of each set in a selected position consists of an expander member 11, sldably mounted in the hollow mandrel or shaft lll. One end of the expander 11 is reduced in diameter, as at 12, and is sldably received in a guide sleeve 13 carried by the adjacent end of the mandrel. The opposite end of the expander 11 is provided with a threaded bore 14, which receives an adjusting screw 15. The adjusting screw 15 extends out through one end of the mandrel and is rotatably carried by a stop cap 16, threaded into the mandrel. Bearing against the outer face of the cap 16 is a hand wheel 17, carried by the screw for facilitating the turning thereof. A stop collar 18, is secured to the screw and the inner face of the stop cap 16 bears against this collar 18. By turning the hand wheel 17, the expander 11. can be slid longitudinally of its mandrel 10.

The expander 11 is provided with longitudinally extending radial slots 19, at equidistantly spaced points, and preferably at thirds. Communicating with the slots at spaced points are openings 20. of the slots 19 and are mandrel 10 is also provided with longitudinally extending radial slots 22, which register with the slots 19 in the expander 11. Mounted in the slots 19 and 22, are longitudinally extending flat clamping plates or jaws: 23. These jaws 23 are provided with equidistantly spaced. teeth 24 on their outer edges, and the teeth are spaced apart the thickness of the knives or saws and these away from the knives or saws for clamping the same in position. The inner edges of the jaws 23, adjacent to their opposite ends, are provided with inclined slots 25, which receive the pins 21 of the expander. In order to hold the jaws in position on the mandrel against accidental displacement, the same are provided at their opposite ends with lugs or ears 26 and 27. In placing the jaws 23 in position, the lugs 27 are fitted against the inner surface of the mandrel 10, after which the sleeve 28 is slipped on the mandrel over the lugs 26, and held detachably in place by any suitable means, such as a set screw 29.

By turning the screw 15, so as to feed the expander to the left (see Figure l), the pins 21 engaging the lower inclined walls of the slots 25 will draw the jaws 23 inwardly into the mandrel mandrel, etc., will be de tion, direction so as to feed the expander 11 to the right and the pins 21 engaging the upper inclined walls of the slots 25 of the jaws will move and hold the jaws in an outward set clamping position for holding the knives against lateral shifting. By providing the arrangement of the slots 25 and provided with a keyway for receiving this key.

The mandrel for the lower label notching and cutting knives is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings on the lower frame and the upper mandrel is mounted in suitable bearings carried by the upper frame 9.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but what :is claimed as new is:

1. ln a machine for coding labels, a rotatable mandrel, a set of circular members on said mandrel, and means for selectively holding members of a set of circular members desired and accurate distances apart on the mandrel including sliding jaws carried by said mandrel and movable radially thereof having equidistantly spaced teeth into which said circular members selectively lit, said circular members having a thickness less than the distance between the spaced teeth on said jaws, and means for moving the jaws outward of the mandrel to a clamping position with the members fitted between the teeth and inward to an inoperative position out of engagement with the members.

2. In a label coding machine, a rotatable mandrel, a set of circular members mounted on said mandrel, and means for selectively holding members of a set of members different and accurate distances apart including longitudinally extending jaws slidably carried by the mandrel for radial movement, the outer faces of said jaws having equidistantly spaced teeth for engaging the inner peripheries of the circular members, said members inner peripheries having a thickness less than the distance between the spaced teeth on said jaws, and means for adjusting the jaws outward to an operative position in engagement with the members and to an inoperative position away from the members, embodying an expander member slidably.

mounted in the mandrel having longitudinally extending peripheral slots receiving the inner edges of the jaws, means for accurately sliding the expander member longitudinally of the mandrel, said jaws having inclined slots,

and cross pins secured to the expander member extending across the slots therein and in the inclined slots of the jaws for cooperation with the inclined walls of said jaw slots upon shifting ofthe expander member.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

